Occupy Movements in New York City

Sumumba Sobukwe

Occu-Evolve

Occupy Astoria Long Island City

Calling all New Yorkers! Want to be more involved in your neighborhood? At the present time there are 7 functioning community-based General Assembly movements (excluding Occupy Wall Street) in the New York City area. In terms of 'needs' nearly all of these General Assemblies are looking for better outreach strategies and a more functional infrastructure. For more information on the work I and others have been doing with the Occupies in the city INCLUDING 'Actions to Date' click here: http://occuevolve.wordpress.com/

Occupy Astoria Long Island City (Queens)

This General Assembly, along with Occupy Queens (Jackson Heights), is perhaps the largest General Assembly in the city. It has bottomlined several important actions including: Occupy the Citi, Rally Against the Flouridation of New York City waters, Action against NDAA (which included a meeting with US congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, a petition drive, outreach and coordination with ALL Occupies around the country). They also sponsored the first 'Occu-Picnic' and have collaborated with Occupy Queens on several actions centered around bank foreclosures.

They played a key role in May Day mobilizations in Astoria/Long Island City. They have a talented and highly capable crew of people working in their media working and direct action groups. They organize the Open Forum Film series, which consists of political education and contemporary documentary films. These are shown every Tuesday in July and August 2012. They, like all other community based movements, are in need of greater participation from the community and eager to develope a stronger outreach working group to make that happen. They are close to consenting on a Community Agreement and have discussed a Mission/Values Statement. At their high point 25-30 people attended their General Assemblies that number varies now between 10 and 20.

Occupy Bushwick (Brooklyn)

Occupy Bushwick has been very active around several key actions and both local and city-wide. They held the largest march outside of Manhattan on May Day and the most successful community-based Occupy Town Square to date. While its membership is primarily white male in a predominately Latino community, there was a successful General Assembly at their Town Square and now there are translators and more participation from the Latino (largely Mexican) community at its GA's.

This GA has regularly has hosted films and teach-ins on several points of interest that impact Bushwick and beyond. Some of their members also play a key role in other groups such as Health Care for the 99% and Food not Bombs, which is a program that feeds the community and provides them with political literature. OBW has a mission statement and is considering community agreements and using values based consensus.

They also have a strong media working group, effective direct action group and improved facilitation. They have also been effective at outreach to get the community involved in its actions. But more efforts are needed in this area to build momentum and membership.

Occupy Kensington (Brooklyn)

Occupy Kensington (OK) is the newest occupy movement within the 5 boroughs and has already begun organizing workers at Golden Farm grocery store. They are working with the nearby community of Windsor Terrace around the campaign 'Green Beans NOT Walgreens' which is an action against the Walgreens corporation's refusal to become a full service grocery store within a community lacking in quality grocers. Predominately women, OK has very capable bottomliners for direct action and those with previous organizing experience. They also have consented on a mission/values statement as well as community agreements. This community currently has no open public space for the people that live there.

Important Dates: July 26th General Assembly in front of Walgreens in Kensington (Brooklyn)

Occupy Queens (Jackson Heights)

Similar in size to Astoria/Long Island City this General Assembly has remained steady in terms of attendance. The group and has been very active in its community participating in several anti-foreclosure actions and shown solidarity for small business owners as well as the LGBTQ community. They had a heavy presence at the November 17th Action, Spring Awakening (Central Park) April 14th, May Day and Occupy The Citi along with Astoria/Long Island City GA. They also collaborate with "Hollis for the 99%" – a group out of Hollis, Queens, that organizes housing and anti-foreclosures actions in their community. Their outreach and direct action groups, along with their media group, are particularly strong based on the talented bottom liners in it. However, the diversity of Jackson Heights calls for this GA to improve its outreach efforts. They are working on getting agreement for their Mission/Values Statement and/or Community agreements.

Occupy Red Hook (Brooklyn)

Occupy Red Hook is one of the more diverse GA's in the city and it is heavily involved anti-stop and frisk actions, transportation issues, and is working to improve police/community relations. It also works with other local organizations and has a storefront where it holds many of its General Assemblies. Geographically isolated on the west side of Brooklyn, it is a small but organized and active GA with a website and very talented and capable members serving in developing working groups.

It participated in May Day along with Occupy Sunset Park where it 'occupied' a subway into Manhattan on May 1st. Presently, members are working on a Community Agreement and Mission/Values Statement.

Important Dates: Upcoming Occupy Town Square (no date determined at this point)

Occupy Sunset Park (Brooklyn)

Another relatively small GA at the present time, but it has had perhaps the most impact on its community of all Occupies. Occupy Sunset Park has been actively involved with cop watch efforts and anti-stop and frisk actions. It has also led actions against closing of Beacon and After School Programs, and has shown solidarity and support for parents fighting to keep those programs. OSP has also worked with other organizations and movements in the community and has sponsored "Food for Thought" which is a community outreach forum and action that facilitates engagement and discussion with local residents.

This GA also participated in the only full day community-based action Unity Day Celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and marched during May Day through the community with stops and speak outs at corporations, schools, a police precint and former courthouse. Currently, OSP is organizing daily vigils and sleep-ins with other community residents against a slumlord whose three building have hundreds of reported health and safety code violations.

Occupy Staten Island

While one of the smaller General Assemblies, Occupy Staten Island is also one of the most active. OSI has led or been a part of several environmental actions, and its members played a key role in the Occupy National Gathering, Spring Awakening (A Gathering of Occupies City-Wide in Central Park) as well as May Day.

They also had several effective teach-in at its Occupy Town Square. This General Assembly has both a community agreement and mission statement along with a strong environmental WG (The People's Democracy) and a media group. It is currently in need of stronger outreach and is seeking to reconstitute itself.